About this report
In 2018, at the directive of then-Chancellor Carol Christ, UC Berkeley began issuing Annual Reports on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment (SVSH). The reports were carefully designed to help readers comprehend the whole landscape on campus from multiple lenses, as part of a broader effort to build a culture at UC Berkeley that is based on respect, inclusivity, and equity of experience.
The SVSH reports are grounded in the campus Principles of Community and the following guiding values:
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Addressing harassment and discrimination is a community responsibility
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A prevention focus
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Centering survivors
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Illuminating a complex system
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Honoring those who do the work
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Seeking to improve
In the 2022-2023 academic year, the scope of the Annual SVSH Report was expanded beyond SVSH to include other protected category discrimination and harassment and whistleblower complaints, corresponding closely to internal changes to campus civil rights administrative structure (see the Social and Structural Changes section below). While not an exhaustive compendium of civil rights concerns on campus, the areas covered in this Civil Rights report provide perspective on the kinds of concerns that are brought to the attention of the campus, the broad affiliations who are reporting those concerns, and in aggregate, how the concerns are responded to.
As a reminder, this 2024 Civil Rights Report covers the 2024 academic/fiscal year (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024).
Social and Structural Changes
Each Annual Report reflects external and internal developments and the evolving needs of the community.
In 2023, the campus reorganized some of its compliance functions, creating a new civil rights portfolio under the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Civil Rights, Whistleblower, and Clery Compliance that includes the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD), the Clery Compliance Office (previously under the UC Police Department), and the Whistleblower office. The responsibility for resolving protected category discrimination complaints about employees, which had previously been under HR People & Culture, was consolidated into OPHD at the same time.
Internally, the campus added some new supportive functions. A new navigational hub to assist campus community members in locating support and information, “Supportal” (Support Portal), was launched in the fall of 2023 and publicized by administrative offices and student groups. University Health Services also introduced a new Mobile Crisis Support service. OPHD engaged in a major website refresh, updating information and providing new one-page resources.
In early 2024, the revised systemwide Anti-Discrimination Policy went into effect, explicitly addressing the University’s responsibilities related to discrimination and harassment based on protected categories (identities protected by state and federal law). Under the policy, certain University employees, including faculty, supervisors, and managers, must notify OPHD when they learn, in the course of their employment, that anyone has experienced Prohibited Conduct as defined by the policy. Increased awareness of the policy and these "responsible employee" reporting obligations may have been an internal factor in the rise of reports alleging Protected Category discrimination and harassment other than SVSH.
One external factor, the conflict in the Middle East and related protest activity on campus, fueled a spike in reports of discrimination and harassment on the basis of ancestry, national origin, race, and religion, to OPHD.